Shanna Katz
Shanna Katz is a sassy, fun loving, crowd pleasing, witty and amusing sex educator based in Phoenix, Arizona. From academic and corporate lectures/trainings to fun-filled classes on kink, cunnilingus and non-monogamy, she covers the spectrum of sexuality in her work. You can visit her site at ShannaKatz.com and read her blog Sexuality Happens at Essin-Em.com. About Shanna In 2008, she completed her Master’s in Human Sexuality Education at Widener University in Pennsylvania. She also has her B.A. in Sociology from the Colorado College. Shanna has many years of experience working with a variety of individuals and groups, providing both consultations and workshops/classes. She also does trainings and lectures on LGBTQ issues (both in workplace and school environments), work with human resource departments on inclusivity, alternative sexualities consultations, advice about sex toys/sexual aides and more. Additionally, she works one-on-one with individuals, couples, and small groups as a sexual wellness coach, helping people explore their sexuality in a safe and open-minded manner. Her passions include queer sexuality, kink and the BDSM community, sex toy education and safety, and sexuality in regards to disability. She has done trainings, workshops and written curricula for numerous places, including Princeton University (Princeton, NJ), the State University of New York – Purchase (Purchase, NY), the University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA), Widener University (Chester, PA), the Planned Parenthood Association of Bucks Country (Doylestown, PA), Passional Toys (Philadelphia, PA), S.E.X. PhD (Denver, CO), Colorado College (Colorado Springs, CO), Femina Potens Gallery (San Francisco, CA), Sex 2.0 Conference 2009 (Washington DC), The Sanctuary (Denver, CO), the Enclave (Denver, CO) and Hysteria (Denver, CO). Shanna is a former sex tips columnist for the “popular by women, for women” site Hot Movies For Her, and has an interesting outlook on sexuality from a feminist and sex positive perspective. She worked as the Community Outreach Coordinator for the sex positive company Eden Fantasys; writing reviews, articles and erotica as part of the site’s total view of sexuality. Currently, she is working with Fascinationsas their Resident Sexuality Educator and Online Media Specialist. She is a current member of AASECT; the American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors and Therapists. You can also read her weekly column The Front Range Femme at Out Front Colorado, or on the Advice Panel at The Lesbian Lifestyle, and under the pen name Essin’ Em at her own blog Sexuality Happens. Until her move to Phoenix, AZ, she was the resident Sex Educator with Hysteria, and continues to provide classes, trainings and workshops to a variety of clients in the Phoenix area (as well as across the country). On A More Personal Note Shanna feels that sexuality is something which is a very personalized journey for each individual, and leaves extra time at the conclusion of all of her trainings for people to approach her with individual questions, comments, concerns and more. She understands that many people don’t feel comfortable raising their hands in a group setting, or even asking questions afterward, and allows for this by also being available to answer any and all inquiries via email. She is completely accessible to all of her programs’ participants, even after the fact; she believes in full spectrum sexuality. The journey only continues on after the training is over, and she hopes that the participants of her programs become life long learners, and only continue to reach, expand and grow as they explore their horizons. Even if a participant attends multiple trainings (whether on the same or different topics), it is her hope that each time, they are able to glean something totally new and unique out of each one. In her personal life, Shanna lives with her partner and their rescued cats; Kinsey, Kali and Jasper. She works full time, and in her free time, she enjoys reading, writing freelance, knitting and reffing flat track roller derby. She also runs the well read blog Sexuality Happens, in her “spare” time. Born and bred in the gorgeous state of Colorado, she had transplanted herself to Pennsylvania for graduate school, and is excited to bring her version of full spectrum sexuality back to the Southwest and Arizona.